[HEPHZIBAH enters with a card on a little tray. GERTRUDE reads the card and utters an exclamation.]
GERTRUDE. [Taking the card and speaking under her breath.] Amos! [He goes to her; they stare at the card together.]
AMOS. [To HEPHZIBAH.] Certainly! [HEPHZIBAH goes out, then returns with the DUKE OF ST. OLPHERTS, and retires. ST. OLPHERTS bows graciously to GERTRUDE and more formally to AMOS.]
AMOS. Pray, sit down. [ST. OLPHERTS seats himself on the settee.]
ST. OLPHERTS. Oh, my dear sir!—If I may use such an expression in your presence—here is the devil to pay!
AMOS. [To ST. OLPHERTS.] You don't mind my pipe. [ST. OLPHERTS waves a hand pleasantly.] And I don't mind your expression—[sitting by the table]—the devil to pay?
ST. OLPHERTS. This, I daresay well intentioned, interference of yours has brought about some very unpleasant results. Mr. Cleeve returns to the Palazzo Arconati and find that Mrs. Ebbsmith has flown.
AMOS. That result, at least, was inevitable.
ST. OLPHERTS. Whereupon he hurries back to the Danieli and denounces us all for a set of conspirators.
AMOS. Your Grace doesn't complain of the injustice of that charge?